Weakness

*Author's Note- I'm about 3/4 ways through the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. So I might have

gotten to everything yet. But this is my opinion on what's going on and why my title is Weakness.*

It drips, sending shock waves through the pond. Not only do the people not understand that they were only a link to the chain, but that they started the chain to begin with. Not only did the words sting through the girl, but they left scars. Just walking through the halls of her high school, Hannah Baker didn’t feel safe. The novel Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher follows the story of a girl who committed suicide and recorded her story for those who caused her the marks to know the truth and realize their mistakes. But, was Hannah Baker really alone, or was she so caught up in the pain of what others thought that she just ended it?

                

 Sexual harassment is not taken lightly anywhere in America. But hormonal boys will be hormonal boys. Not only are they just boys, they are high school boys. Yes, Hannah was a virgin and her innocence was the only thing left, but being slapped in the behind shouldn’t be such a large reason for ending your life early. Very little suicide cases of sexual harassment were reported in the last six years. The last case was about a man who was constantly attacked by two females. Although the whole student body was unknowingly deepening the gashes and scars Hannah could have asked for help.

               

 Being an outcast doesn’t leave you alone, because there are other outcasts out there. Also, when you’re an outcast it means you aren’t trying to make friends or find people to care about you. It’s not that one action doesn’t make the person hated with passion. Hannah Baker is not Melinda Sordino from the novel Speak. She is actually the complete opposite. Living her life somewhat to the fullest, where as Melinda was hiding from her problems and shutting the world out completely. Melinda lost interest in the world around her, while Hannah still worked hard in school and tried to find ways to save herself. Hannah even tried to hide the signs from the people who did pay attention (not that many people did though.)

              

  After turning into that outcast, Hannah really started believing that ending it would be her best option: not that she couldn’t have talked to her distant parents for help. Just believing that your parents don’t want you isn’t true. No parent would deliberately ignore their child. But Hannah was encouraging it, if she would have demanded more attention from them or even just went out and saying: “My life sucks, I need help!” It would’ve caught and grab the most ignorant and distant parent from the herd and send her to the help she needs. Hannah describes her family working hard just to get by, therefore leaving her last on their priorities. Why didn’t Hannah ask? Repeatedly through the novel Hannah complains how no one noticed or that no one figured it out. How can she blame them if didn’t give and signs? Messages? Or even giving Clay, the boy she connected with, a clue. Maybe telling was more terrifying than death.

                 

Hannah Baker was weak. Saying “I need help,” takes more courage than popping a bottle of pills. She was strong for the first part, but when the wheels began to turn faster and harder Hannah was nothing. She was a speck on one of the wheels that couldn’t do nothing but smudge the appearance. Hannah Baker’s life was horrible. No person wants to be touched inappropriately, have incredible rumors spread about them or even being left in a room all alone after a make out session, but she wasn’t alone and she was weak for giving into the challenges and stopped climbing the rotten, broken up staircase of life.

Life and Its Colors

*Author's Note- I'm currently reading the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Only half way through the book, I have learned about the way colors, nature, and life is easily corrupted by the world around us. Also, how people miss so many obvious signs and only notice the smallest details that will soon lead to the largest reason. But only being too late to help. While reading, page 175 caught my eye. The last paragraph stating "Did the poet use red to symbolize blood? Anger? Lust? Or is the wheelbarrow simply red because it sounded better than Black?" Now looking down at my writing, can you figure out what I'm trying to portray? Each line means what emotion each colors means. Figure it out. Have fun.*


Red-
A sword with a glistening liquid at its tip.
A child on Christmas morning.
Burning pain. 
Love for something so deep.
Once the fight begins, it will spill.

Purple-
The income stream.
Higher than the highest family.
Book worm of colors.

Blue-
A snail in sand.
Quiet place of peace.
The strength over your opponent.

Black-
The 12 districts from the novel The Hunger Games.

White-
Clean and clear.

Yellow-
Soft heat.
Lights the path.

Green-
New, lively.
Growing of life.

Beautiful Joy

Bright and colorful
Full of joy
Until that neighbor comes
And your mother makes you share
Oh Gummibears
They ate them fast
And now they are gone
That kid better run, run, run

Thought Process

 *Author Note- This my analysis of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. The words that are italicized are what I'm thinking about what each phrase means to me and what the mother is trying to teach her son.*  

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.- Life isn’t something you clear that you can see through.
It's had tacks in it,- Challenges that you must over come.
And splinters,- Something that will take a while to get over.
And boards torn up,- Watching what you do and say to protect yourself and others you love.
And places with no carpet on the floor – Poverty with no warmth or love.
Bare.- Cold and lonely.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,- She hasn’t let any of the bumps of life hold her back.
And reachin' landin's,- When she reached good points in her life you kept reaching forwards
And turnin' corners,- When something tired to stop her she kept walking
And sometimes goin' in the dark- Going into something not knowing what will happen.
Where there ain't been no light.- Going places that hasn’t been good for anyone.
So boy, don't you turn back.- Don’t stop walking you need to keep going through your life even though there is bumps.
Don't you set down on the steps- Never go back down.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now –Don’t let the challenges push you down into a point where you can’ get back up.
For I'se still goin', honey,- She is still going, why can’t you?
I'se still climbin',- She is still wondering through life not knowing
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.- her life wasn’t easy of handed to her.

Clarisse's Love

Skipping as gracefully as a gazelle, Clarisse's hair a wild hair hurricane. Her smile brightening up the room. Green eyes glistening gleefully as the scent of flowers flowing into the spaces faster than a fan. Just her presents in the room brought joy to others.